I Don't Cower

Bad Influence

POV: Demi

"Matt, are you all set up and everything?" I peaked my head in his room to see him putting some clothes in the dresser.

"Pretty much." Matt shrugged as he put the last articles of clothing in the top drawer.

"Do you want to already be stubborn and start helping, or do you want a tour of the house?" I asked with a raised brow.

"I would like a beer." Matt chuckled.

"There isn't any alcohol in my house." I gave him a knowing look.

"Right, is there a place I can just chill then for now or do I need to stay in here?" He awkwardly stood there and rocked back and forth slightly.

"Yeah, this way." I lead him to the living room where Ashley was currently watching Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 2 for the fifth time this week.

"I love this movie!" Matt cheered as he ran to Ashley's side on the couch to watch it with her.

"Great, two couch potatoes." I groaned.

"Demi," Ashley stretched her arms out to me.

"You want a hug?" I asked with my weight slightly shifted, due to my still simmering annoyance of two people under the same roof obsessing over the same movie.

She nodded with a smile.

"Are you slipping into headspace?" As soon as I got to her side she gently pulled on my arm towards the couch. "You want me to sit with you?"

She hesitantly nodded with a shy smile.

Ashley scooted over just enough for me to sit down, and not even two seconds after I sat down, she was curled up in a ball on my lap. "Pup headspace or bitch headspace?" I asked her before she was completely slipped.

"Pup," she whispered. Her eyes were still glued to the screen.

My finger ran through her hair as my other hand traced patterns on her back.

"Headspace slips never seize to amaze me." Matt smiled over at me.

"Speaking of headspace, if she acts out and I'm not around let me know. Do not try to stop the behavior unless it's threatening her health or your's. If you do and I don't she will lash out at you and there is no telling what each character will do." I spoke in a softer tone since Ashley was drifting off to sleep.

Matt nodded before turning his attention back to the screen.

"Dems," Ashley spoke softly to get my attention.

"Do you need something?" I knitted my eyebrows together as I inspected the girl's face for answers.

She nodded her head no before lightly scratching my arms. She wasn't digging her nails in deep enough to hurt me.

"You want to hold my hand?" A guessing game. Great.

She shook her head no again and scratched my arm again.

"Does my arm have anything to do with what you need?"

She once again shook her head no before whimpering.

"What do you need Ash? Use your words the best you can." I spoke in a calm, yet dominant tone so she will speak.

But what I got was a yawn.

"You need me to carry you to bed?" I raised a brow.

She nodded her head yes.

I sighed before scooping her in my arms and standing up. "She wants to go to sleep, and I don't know if her headspace will need me to stay with her or not. The re-."